Links 5/21/2026

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1. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 7:10 am

   ‘Suppressed News.
   @SuppressedNws1
   For those who don’t know, the Freedom Flotilla activists are foreign nationals from:
   🇺🇸U.S.A
   🇪🇸Spain
   🇮🇹Italy
   🇹🇷Turkey
   🇫🇷France
   🇩🇪Germany
   🇧🇪Belgium
   🇦🇺Australia
   🇨🇦Canada
   🇬🇧United Kingdom
   🇬🇷Greece
   🇦🇱Albania
   🇵🇹Portugal.
   And others.
   ISRAEL IS DOING THIS TO YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS’

   So it’s OK that Israel does this to Palestinians every damn day of the week but here they are doing it to – for want of a better word – to white people. Noted. And should it be mentioned that most of these countries are still sending military aid to Israel to help in their genocidal campaigns? No gratitude at all here.

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   1. ChrisFromGA May 21, 2026 at 8:01 am

      Bessent sanctions flotilla organizers:

      https://www.commondreams.org/news/us-sanctions-gaza-flotilla

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      1. Eclair May 21, 2026 at 9:25 am

         The US Government hurling sanctions at dissenting states and individuals reminds me of the Catholic Church using ‘excommunication’ as a tool to squelch dissenting groups and people. It works. Until it doesn’t.

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         1. ArvidMartensen May 21, 2026 at 6:24 pm

            The US reminds me of the old westerns where a deaf guy’s fighting dudes on train tracks. Not seeing the locomotive with 60 cars doing 50 mph coming down the tracks right at him.

            The locomotive has a name – Extreme Global Heat. The cars it drags along have names too – like Extreme Drought, Extreme Famine, Extreme Pandemic and Extreme Death.

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   2. Bad Coffee May 21, 2026 at 9:35 am

      Do you suggest, we should not be emphatically upset for those brave white souls that care about Palestinians if we are not so brave as them? I thought that noting broader violations of human rights and moral decency would be something that could put pressure on those ignoring the blatant power abuse. But yeah, only the most pure outrage counts – good luck!

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      1. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 9:42 am

         You misread what I said. I was not criticizing those protestors but their governments who have been in silence mode over the Palestinians treatment – until it came home to them with the treatment of their own people.

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         1. Bad Coffee May 21, 2026 at 9:55 am

            Any signs that governments care about own citizen, if the issue is related to Israel?

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   3. Lefty Godot May 21, 2026 at 10:20 am

      Didn’t you get the message? They’re terrorists, just like Renee Good and Alex Pretti, just like anybody that the Zionist ruling class thugs designate as such. Everybody that “we” don’t like is a terrorist, of either the “Islamist” type or the “narco” type, depending on the hemisphere in which “we” attack, torture or terminate them.

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2. AG May 21, 2026 at 7:14 am

   re: EU sanctions vs. Dogru

   A campaign to support Dogru has been kicked off.

   German NACHDENKSEITEN reporting

   use google-translate

   The campaign against EU sanctions and in support of journalist Hüseyin Doğru starts today.
   
   On the anniversary of the sanctions against Doğru, prominent figures from politics, culture, and journalism have issued a joint appeal, calling on the German government to immediately lift the sanctions.
   https://www.nachdenkseiten.de/?p=150723

   The appeal specifically calls for…

   The German government is urged to cease implementing EU sanctions against German citizens;
   The German government is urged to vote in the Council of the European Union in favor of lifting the sanctions against Hüseyin Doğru.

   Many celebrities have already signed the appeal. These include:

   Brian Eno, musician and producer
   Dieter Hallervorden, actor and cabaret artist
   Christoph Hein, writer
   Gregor Gysi, Member of Parliament
   Sahra Wagenknecht, publicist and former member of parliament
   Yanis Varoufakis, former Finance Minister of Greece
   Pablo Iglesias, former Deputy Prime Minister of Spain
   Evarist Bartolo, former Foreign Minister of Malta
   Daniela Dahn, writer
   Daniele Ganser, historian and publicist
   Günter Verheugen
   Martin Sonneborn, MEP
   Gabriel Shipton (brother of Julian Assange and founder of The Information Rights Project)

   as well as other members of the German Bundestag, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, writers, journalists and artists.

   Since then Corbyn, Daly, Waters, Zuckermann and many more.

   full petition text:
   https://free-dogru.com/

   1500 signatures so far.

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3. AG May 21, 2026 at 7:19 am

   re: German employment shows 486,000 fewer on the job in first quarter

   Yesterday Martyanov claimed that a similiar number hit Russia in the 1998 crisis however with a population almost twice the size.

   Fascinating: When some murky news NGO like CORRECTIV teamed up with the Scholz government against the so-called “rise of AfD” based on possibly in-part fabricated but certainly warped reporting millions went to the streets in 2024.

   Now? Nothing…

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   1. Krautsalat May 21, 2026 at 9:46 am

      The QoQ comparison is pretty much useless. There are always layoffs at the end of the year.

      Adjusted for seasonal effects that are typical at the start of the year there was still a decline of 61,000 people or 0.1%.

      So, much lower figures YoY.

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4. Randall Flagg May 21, 2026 at 7:49 am

   So, with the Hantavirus starting to swirl around is it time to review effective nasal sprays for use along with masking? Does anyone still use nasal sprays Enovid, Profi, etc., on a regular basis?

   I suppose along with stocking up on the basics due to Trump’s Epic Eff up, effective masks should be on the list too.
   I hope this is not considered an assignment, just looking for helpful knowledge.

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   1. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 7:53 am

      Actually stocking up on masks is quite an astute suggestion. Will their manufacture be affected by shortages of material that they need for their manufacture? If plastic is used then I would guess so.

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      1. t May 21, 2026 at 10:25 am

         A passenger on board tells me there were not enough masks for passengers.

         Were any passengers already wearing or carrying masks?

         I have plenty of masks. Maybe.

         But you’re right, 3M is going to have trouble sourcing some materials. Simple cloth masks which are not uneffective – especially I’d the cotton has been washed a few times – could be a fall back.

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   2. Skip Intro May 21, 2026 at 10:27 am

      I’m hoping my Profi also blocks airborne Andes virus.

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   3. curlydan May 21, 2026 at 11:24 am

      I’ve got a decent supply of Astepro handy https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2838335

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   4. Laughingsong May 21, 2026 at 12:03 pm

      I still use Viraldine. And I still have many masks as well.

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   5. wl May 21, 2026 at 12:49 pm

      2022 systematic review of 22 studies concluded that the balance of comparative evidence does not definitively support human-to-human transmission, noting that most supporting studies had critical risk of bias and did not adequately control for co-exposure to rodents.

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   6. Expat2uruguay May 21, 2026 at 4:12 pm

      I use a 1% iodine solution that I mix myself for a nasal spray.
      On the bottle of the 10% iodine it recommends a 2.5% dilution for gargle. I then dilute that by 50% for the nasal rinse.
      This is what I use when I go on a bus or to church.

      By the way, it is possible to modify surgical masks for better fit: https://youtube.com/shorts/Ns4rzJXKCqU (46 sec)

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5. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 7:51 am

   “Neanderthal Dentistry, and the Scientist Glad Not to Have Experienced It”

   ‘Enduring such a torturous, anesthesia-free root canal required staggering willpower. Yet the tooth shows continued wear after the drilling took place, meaning the patient survived and kept using the molar.’

   I would not be sure about that first point. I would suggest that Neanderthals probably forgot more about the medicinal uses of plants than we have ever learnt. So maybe they gave that patient some magic mushrooms or some other sort of concoction from local plants which this article suggests. Either that or they hit him in the head with a rock first. Either way, the fact that they were performing this sort of sophisticated dental surgery with specialized tools shows that they had done this before and this was part of standard medical practice.

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   1. vao May 21, 2026 at 7:57 am

      “the fact that they were performing this sort of sophisticated dental surgery with specialized tools shows that they had done this before and this was part of standard medical practice.”

      Which opens up an entrance to another rabbit hole: how did those small, dispersed human communities disseminate and perpetuate such knowledge?

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      1. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 8:05 am

         I’m going to assume that all those communities had annual gatherings where the clans came together and trade was done, knowledge was swapped, and people found partners from other clans. Just because they were primitive does not mean that they were stupid. In early American history you had something similar with Mountain men in the early 19th century which was called the Rendezvous–

         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Mountain_Rendezvous

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         1. vao May 21, 2026 at 8:25 am

            This kind of meeting at ritual places has been proven to exist in prehistoric times during the Neolithic — e.g. at Göbekli Tepe some 10’000-11’000 years ago — but we are talking about Neanderthals during the middle Paleolithic, 59’000 years ago.

            Your hypothesis may be correct, but I cannot remember having read about sites similar in purpose as Göbekli Tepe or Stonehenge for Neanderthals. Were there, for instance, some special caves with rock paintings and burial pits playing the same role as a ritual meeting place for various communities? I’d be interested in knowing about it.

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            1. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 8:34 am

               Hmm. Just because they gathered together does not mean that they built something that we would recognize as architecture. For example, you would look in vain for something equivalent for the meeting places of the Mountain Men Rendezvous. And it may have been that each year they went to a different region for their meeting so that where they were the previous year would have a chance to recover from having so many hunter-gatherers comb that region. This is all just guessing on my part here of course.

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         2. dday May 21, 2026 at 4:35 pm

            I think Chaco Canyon served a similar purpose in the southwest around 1100 CE. There were small clans all over the area.

            I think of Pueblo Bonito as the No-Tell Motel of the day.

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   2. Henry Moon Pie May 21, 2026 at 9:18 am

      You don’t have to go back before my parents’ “Greatest Generation” to find people who grew up with foot-powered dental drills and no novacaine. In fact, my childhood dentist, who did have an electric drill, didn’t like giving novacaine shots, so I went bareback, so to speak, when I got my first fillings.

      It was back when the goin’ got tough, and the tough got goin’. ;)

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      1. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 9:26 am

         At the very least your childhood dentist could have offered you a shot of whiskey first. :)

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         1. alfred venison May 21, 2026 at 6:45 pm

            It was a BYO dental clinic ;-)

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         2. Henry Moon Pie May 21, 2026 at 10:30 pm

            He probably had one himself. The poor fellow, who was very charming and funny, hated causing people pain. And a dentist! So he drank himself into a early grave.

            That psychic pain can be worse than the physical stuff.

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      2. Eclair May 21, 2026 at 12:05 pm

         Yes, Henry. My husband’s teenage grandmother, growing up on a farm in north-west Pennsylvania, kept a diary for one year: she notes in April that the Titanic sunk!
         Besides complaining … regularly … how much she hated planting potatoes and digging potatoes, she writes for a couple of months about a steadily worsening abscess in a molar. She finally gets relief by jabbing a darning needle into the abscess, allowing it to drain.
         I guess the tradeoff is when the pain of allowing the infection to continue is greater than the pain of the ‘treatment.’ However, a root canal, even with anesthetic, is torture.
         I doubt she had a shot of whiskey. The family were strict Methodist abstainers.

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      3. Jeff W May 22, 2026 at 4:58 am

         “…my childhood dentist, who did have an electric drill, didn’t like giving novacaine shots…”

         I’ve never had Novocaine for any routine fillings for my whole life, which was the result, sort of, of a misunderstanding. I thought it was a “family thing” not to have Novocaine. I mentioned that to my dad, who said, basically, “Where did you get that idea?” I said, “Well, when I was a little kid, I never had Novocaine when the dentist filled cavities” and my dad said “Those were little baby cavities!”

         Anyway, I did have Novocaine once for some other dental procedure—a deep cleaning or something—and hated it. I still refuse it for routine fillings (which I almost never have these days). I think the dentist prefers it because if makes things easier.

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6. JohnA May 21, 2026 at 8:04 am

   Re Ursula VdL and Russia’s public threats against our Baltic States are completely unacceptable.

   So, the drones from Ukraine are being downed in the Baltic States allegedly because of Russian EW, and yet for some reason, Russia is not able to use EW to effectively prevent Ukrainian drone attacks on long range targets such as Moscow and oil refineries/storage plants. How does that logic work?

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   1. Trees&Trunks May 21, 2026 at 8:36 am

      Oh it works fine for the war-mongering EUtard elites. They have found an new type of logic where the semantic property that is carried through the propositions is not truth in any sense that is related to common world experienced by many outside of the EUtard corridors. I have not found the right word but when imagining it it comes up as a unicorn-rainbow-coloured poop-smiley.

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7. pjay May 21, 2026 at 8:47 am

   – ‘Michael Bay To Direct True Story On Largest Rescue Mission In American History To Save Two Downed Pilots In Iran’ – Deadline. True story!

   LOL! From the article:

   “Bay has spent nearly three decades collaborating with the U.S. military and law enforcement on films including The Rock, Bad Boys and Armageddon. Most notably on titles including Pearl Harbor, Transformers and 13 Hours, military leadership provided immense logistical support, equipment and personnel to ensure accurate portrayals of the U.S. Armed Forces.

   “When reached by Deadline for comment, Bay said: “I’ve had an amazing partnership over my 30-year career working with the Department of War and amazing U.S. military members. In my film 13 Hours, no rescue force answered the call for help. This film is about everyone who answered the call in one of the most complex, intricate and high-stakes operations in recent history…”

   For those unfamiliar, 13 Hours was about Benghazi, based on a book by Mitchell Zukoff, who is apparently writing a book on which this ‘Epic Fury’ film will be based as well. For those who suspect that the 13 Hours book and film were propaganda pieces about the heroic stand of American Embassy officials against an attack by vicious Islamist terrorists that *completely obscured* what the US Benghazi operation was really about – you would be correct. For those who suspect this book and film will be the same – I’m with you.

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   1. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 9:51 am

      Since we still do not have the identities of those pilots released yet, making a movie about them will be tricky. Years ago they made a movie about Mohammad with Anthony Quinn. Since you cannot under Islam depict the guy, the film never showed him and when he spoke, you only heard violins play if I remember right. Perhaps Michal Bay could do the same with those pilots. Either show them initially wearing their helmets & visors hiding their faces and on the ground, showing them either from their back or from a long distance. Add in a few signature Michael Bay explosions and they would be good to go.

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      1. vao May 21, 2026 at 10:35 am

         The film you refer to is The message, directed by Moustapha Akkad. It is actually quite a nice movie about the emergence of Islam.

         Every time the prophet or his close relatives are involved, the viewpoint switches to a “subjective camera”, thus showing the action they take part in, but not the characters as such. You may see their arms — such as when Mohammad topples the pagan deities in the Mecca, or when his sons (or sons in law?), wielding those fancy two-pointed swords that often appear in Muslim iconography, fight a duel against tribal chiefs opposed to Islam. I do not remember the violins playing instead of them speaking though; I think the director used some other tricks to let know they had talked.

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      2. Skip Intro May 21, 2026 at 10:39 am

         That’ll make it hard for them to bring the humanity to said pilot’s grueling 1500 mile hike through rugged islamofascist mountains with a broken leg, beset on all sides by militias, IRGC choppers, antisemitism, venomous snakes, and arid conditions.

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         1. vao May 21, 2026 at 11:06 am

            It is exactly the kind of challenge that a director, confident in his abilities, will take up with gusto. Akin to directing a Western movie where not a single shot is fired, or writing a novel without using the letter “e”.

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            1. Skip Intro May 21, 2026 at 11:48 am

               Maybe it can all be one long shot, filmed in the reflection of aviator shades!

               Greenlight!!

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         2. GF May 21, 2026 at 6:50 pm

            I hear the film’s budget will be exactly the cost of all the aircraft and equipment lost in the debacle not including salaries of the thousands involved.. What was it $1.776 billion?

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   2. lyman alpha blob May 21, 2026 at 10:29 am

      Bay only got the job after Alan Smithee turned it down. Pilot to be played by the hot up and coming new actor Nemo Outis.

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   3. jrkrideau May 21, 2026 at 2:02 pm

      Heroic rescue == Total fiasco but we got out with our lives?
      (Well, as far as we know).

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   4. Ben Panga May 22, 2026 at 6:43 am

      Bay has an unreleased parkour film (We Are Storror) currently on hold as one of the main profiled guys just got arrested for child pr0n. So he has experience telling the story of risk taking paedophiles who like invading others’ land.

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8. Stephen V May 21, 2026 at 9:02 am

   NW AR, not to be outdone by little ol’ Camden:
   https://talkbusiness.net/2022/05/walton-nwa-poised-to-be-hub-for-advanced-air-mobility-technologies/
   DRONE Factories coming to Podunk!

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9. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 9:09 am

   “Visa-free travel, porcelain set, oil and gas: highlights of Putin’s visit to China”

   The media has been making out that Putin’s visit was a failure as there was no final agreement over the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. But then there is this-

   ‘There were many important agreements, indeed. Putin announced agreement on forty bilateral documents. At least 20 were signed in the ceremonial setting in the presence of the leaders – the protocol of the event simply did not allow for a proper ceremony for each document; folders containing contracts had to be literally carted out by the containerload.’

   I somehow do not think that Trump had this problem. This article also said the following-

   ‘taking a stroll and having a cup of tea” is the most important thing one can and should do in China, since it is in this environment that key decisions are made.’

   So if Xi ever visited Washington DC, Trump could show him the American equivalent – by taking him to a golf course.

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10. Tom Stone May 21, 2026 at 9:10 am

    Remember that when you are looking for “Potential Domestic Violent Extremists” AI is the perfect tool.
    LOTS of false positives, which is wonderful because budgets increase and thus the power of those in charge increases.
    Another benefit is that the reaction to oppression can be used used to…increase budgets and power while justifying more oppression.
    What could go wrong?

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11. AG May 21, 2026 at 9:36 am

    re: RU vs. NATO

    RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT

    A few things Anatol Lieven will probably never grasp.
    Obviously it doesn´t make much sense to speak about anything but deescalation. But I don´t need PhDs for that.
    What does need a bit of understanding is the military analysis.

    Which this is not:
    
    “This completely ignores the lessons of the war in Ukraine: both the enormous damage done to the Russian armed forces, and the transformation of the battlefield by drones and satellite intelligence. In Ukraine, this has nullified Russia’s advantage in numbers and brought the Russian advance to a standstill. And yet Russia is going to repeat this experience on a vastly larger and more dangerous scale by invading NATO? Seriously?”

    Part of serious negotiations with any counterpart is a correct assessment of that counterpart´s military capabilities and the realities on the battlefield.

    None of which Lieven brings to the table. In fact this misrepresentation as military weakness by RU plays excellently into the hands of that very group Lieven opposes. But I guess he doesn´t see it.

    In Germany Lieven´s view is of course treated as ultimate wisdom.

    I am stunned that individuals with this access to information – in theory – and privileged work remain incapable of altering their views or rather correcting them – Try to think outside the box, a bit.

    “Washington must act to defuse the Baltic powder keg”

    Russian claims that Ukrainian drones are flying through Latvian and Estonian airspace are raising tensions around Kaliningrad
    https://responsiblestatecraft.org/eu-settler-sanctions/

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12. Earl May 21, 2026 at 9:56 am

    Re: U.S. Employers Spend $1.5 Billion on Union Avoidance. Table 1 shows money spent on a list containing mostly healthcare entities. This includes SE Michigan’s largest employer Corewell Health. Corewell is the product of a cross-market merger between west Michigan’s Grand Rapids based Spectrum Health and Detroit area Beaumont Health. Beaumont had in the past bitterly frustrated attempts for nurse unionization. To cut costs, Beaumont had terminated its employed nurse anesthetists encouraging them to seek employment with a PE owned national anesthesia company. This led to successful unionization by the transferred nurses of their new PE employer. The stresses of the merger led to successful Teamster unionization in 2024 of almost 10,000 Detroit area Corewell nurses. Corewell’s west Michigan hospitals remain non-union. As of May 2026, a contract has not been reached. Some but not all studies indicate that patient outcomes are better in unionized facilities. Nurse staffing levels which are a crucial negotiated item does correlate with patient outcome. One effect of insufficient staffing is delayed recognition of early signs of patient deterioration resulting in failures to rescue. http://scienceinsights.org/how-does-nursing-shortage-affect-patient-care/

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13. Tom Stone May 21, 2026 at 10:28 am

    OT, the first Luger pistol is being auctioned off by Morphy’s, this is serial # 1 from the first contract (1900) and it is in good working order, I wouldn’t hesitate to take it to the range.
    The first two Colt’s revolvers in Caliber .45 are also still extant and in good working order, guns last a long time if they aren’t abused.

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    1. vao May 21, 2026 at 10:43 am

       Just curious: do firearms come with indicative specs as to how many shots they can fire before being considered unusable? A bit like that the flight-hours for an aircraft before overhaul, or charge-discharge cycles for a battery.

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       1. scott s. May 21, 2026 at 3:01 pm

          Typically the critical dimension is called “headspace”. Generally measured periodically (like when performing other service) using a so-called “field gauge”. Though there are other wear points. Barrel wear probably is mainly observed by reduced accuracy. Sear wear manifests in poor trigger/firing pin or striker release and could also be a safety factor.

          Revolvers have their own wear issues with cylinder “timing” (how the cylinder rotates into correct alignment with the bore of the barrel).
          At least for civilian firearms I don’t think there are typical “shot” limits.

          but I Am Not A Gunsmith.

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       2. Oregon Lawhobbit May 22, 2026 at 4:11 pm

          There are guidelines. But there are also many variables. For instance, a lightly built .357 Magnum revolver (say, a Smith & Wesson J-Frame) will have a shorter lifespan firing heavier Magnum ammunition will wear out (in various ways) much sooner than one firing just light .38 Special Target Wadcutters. Variations also between makers – Rugers are built like tanks. Colt Pythons are like rock candy “Just for lookin’ at, not for eatin’.”

          Modern firearms with modern standard ammunition will generally last longer than most shooters will use them for.

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14. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 10:30 am

    “Cuba Girds for Invasion as Trump Launches Raúl Castro Indictment Amid Punishing Blockade”

    Indicting Castro is a bit of a stretch unless the plan is for the US to take control of Cuba and put all of Cuba’s old guard on trial to clear the space for the Cuban-Floridans. A bit more detail on those two shoot-downs-

    ‘On February 24, 1996, Cuban fighter jets shot down two light aircraft which Havana said were violating its airspace. The planes – two Cessna 337 Skymasters – were operated by ‘Brothers to the Rescue’, a group of anti-communist Cubans and Americans led by CIA operative Jose Basulto. The group’s official purpose was to help dissidents to leave Cuba, and to “support the efforts of the Cuban people to free themselves from dictatorship through the use of active non-violence.”

    However, one of the organization’s former pilots, Juan Pablo Roque, defected to Cuba two days before the planes were shot down and claimed that Brothers to the Rescue was involved in smuggling weapons on to the island to be used by anti-government guerillas.’

    https://www.rt.com/news/640302-cuba-castro-indicted-next/

    But here is the irony. The US wants to put this old boy on trial for shooting down two spook-related planes about thirty years ago. But at the same time, the US continues to blow up boats whose identities they are not sure of. What is the difference here? Both Trump and Hegseth have more of a case to answer for here.

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    1. alrhundi May 21, 2026 at 12:06 pm

       Cuban Zionism?

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    2. Oregon Lawhobbit May 22, 2026 at 4:13 pm

       What is the difference here?

       “The strong do what they will; the weak suffer what they must?” That difference?

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15. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 10:54 am

    “Germany’s Merz proposes Ukraine as EU ‘associate member’ without voting rights”

    ‘German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine “associate member” status in the European Union without voting rights while it pursues full membership, according to a letter seen by AFP on Thursday. The plan would allow Kyiv representation at EU summits, the European Commission and parliament, but without voting powers.’

    What that would mean would be massive official flows of cash to the Ukraine without end and without accountability while agricultural production from the Ukraine would bankrupt untold numbers of EU farmers.

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16. lyman alpha blob May 21, 2026 at 11:04 am

    RE: Mail-in ballots in Massie primary

    Those totals, if true, do makes one raise an eyebrow. But, the numbers did show more older people turning out than younger, the older went heavily against Massie, and they are the ones with a tendency to vote by mail.

    I do wonder if ballot harvesting had anything to do with it. I’m talking about the practice of activists for a particular party showing up at elderly housing complexes and “helping” the older people to cast their ballots. I used to do some work with the local Green Party, and one younger local organizer did just that many years ago. If I remember correctly he may not have shown up in person, but recruited a couple older and naive Green Party people to go to the old folks homes and push the residents toward voting Green. They would then kindly deliver all the ballots to the appropriate town clerks for counting. The younger guy got brought up on ethics charges with the state electoral commission – there were other sketchy practices he engaged in at the state level that I’d heard about, and I had also seen him rig some intra-party elections personally, so I testified against him. He was eventually exonerated (not enough direct evidence against him), and he even put out a press release to that effect, but the older people he recruited to assist did get penalized for the actions he put them up to. The guy with the sketchy record of electoral shenanigans is now long time State Senator with the Democrat Party.

    Anyway, these things do happen and it would be very interesting to hear from some of the oldest voters who cast ballots in the KY primary.

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    1. scott s. May 21, 2026 at 3:09 pm

       All reasons why President Trump and Republicans advocate same day, in person voting in precincts, without mechanical counting.

       In Hawaii you can’t “assist” a voter in marking a ballot (accept in accessibility cases) but it is legal to harvest votes.

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       1. Expat2uruguay May 21, 2026 at 4:23 pm

          Uruguay has same day in person voting on a state designated holiday with a moratorium against the sale of alcohol for that day. All votes are hand-marked and then hand-counted in the presence of representatives from all parties. Sometimes it takes longer to get the results, but that doesn’t bother Uruguayos at all.

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       2. hk May 21, 2026 at 4:56 pm

          Except, I guess, against his and his master’s enemies….

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    2. hk May 21, 2026 at 4:40 pm

       There have been rumors of stuff like that going on with Korean-American activists vis a vis the elderly in LA for years now (as in elderly relatives hearing stories from their friends of being approached by such activists with offers to “help them vote” like that). (Yet another reason I’ve shunned any tie to “multiculturalist activism.”)

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17. Jason Boxman May 21, 2026 at 11:10 am

    I hope those Intuit employees enjoy their early retirement. It’s company policy to hold your data hostage if you stop paying, your data being your company’s operating books over possibly decades. If you’ve upgraded past QuickBooks 2012, Intuit can and does just turn off your data if you stop paying. You get a year of read-only access and then goodbye to your company as an operational entity. The latest list price for the basic QuickBooks Enterprise Pro was about $1,250 annually. (Before payroll tables and other add-ons.) (this was a 25% increase over last year, and where their profits came from probably.)

    All subsequent versions are QuickBooks Web, which is trash and customers also complain about. No desktop version anymore exception for accounting firms.

    As a legacy consideration from when you owned software in the 1990s, my parents used QuickBooks for their home books as well; after my father was socially murdered by COVID, it fell to me to wind down the business entity, and when I saw how much it was going to cost for my mother on a fixed income to keep QuickBooks, I was apoplectic.

    I spent 40 or 50 hours finding a way to brute force convert QuickBooks 2024 transaction data to Intuit’s interchange format, so I could manually import it into our purchased copy of QB 2012. Thankfully, this worked; Starting with QB 2014, you need an “Intuit account”, and I found with QB 2019, they intentionally broke the login in earlier versions of QB (because you can use it w/o a subscription as your license was perpetual, if you can login, that is).

    There are few humans that ought to burn as deep in hell as Intuit’s executives, board remembers, and employees.

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    1. curlydan May 21, 2026 at 11:39 am

       INTU down 20% today. Is the SAASpocalypse back on?

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    2. scott s. May 21, 2026 at 3:18 pm

       I am Treasurer (which in my case means also bookkeeper and accountant) for a non-profit. I use QB 2019 Windows desktop version on Win11 without issue. Of course, I have to manually record/reconcile account information (transactions) so don’t use QBO files.

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       1. Jason Boxman May 21, 2026 at 10:38 pm

          I don’t live in that world, so it is hard to keep track. I believe 2019 was the last version that did not require paying for an annual license to keep access to your data.

          The version I installed was unable to load the Intuit login screen; When I kept not logging in, after 7 or whatever days, it refused to open the QBO file until I logged in. I could not, because the login component was broken. Maybe that’s been fixed, who knows.

          Reply ↓
18. tegnost May 21, 2026 at 11:50 am

    Grrr… Socialism for polluting oil grifters who fracked everything…and now?

    Despite strict regulations on the decommissioning of disused wells, which oil companies are expected to follow, many firms have failed to plug disused wells correctly due to a range of reasons, from companies going bankrupt to small oil activities falling under the radar. The U.S. government is now spending millions on gradually plugging these “orphan wells”, which is detracting resources from other potential energy projects. Therefore, selling these wells to companies to be repurposed could help to fix the problem as well as bring in a new form of revenue.

    Whizbang! Hey Look! New Improved!
    https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Geothermal-Energy/Americas-Abandoned-Oil-Wells-Could-Power-the-Next-Geothermal-Boom.html

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19. ChrisFromGA May 21, 2026 at 12:14 pm

    A literal edifice wreck has sprung up right in my town:

    https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/05/site-of-skeletal-midtown-office-tower-hit-with-unsafe-warning/

    The site of a skeletal office tower that has languished for years at the corner of 14th and Peachtree streets and labeled by neighbors as an eyesore has been deemed unsafe by the city of Atlanta.

    I wonder whose pension fund owns that?

    REIT-wrecks, ahoy!

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20. Henry D May 21, 2026 at 12:14 pm

    This looks promising for those worried about gas prices and VW the future.
    Gotion High-Tech, 33% owned by Volkswagen, unveiled its Gnascent sodium-ion batteries at its 15th Global Technology Conference, featuring three variants—from 261 Wh/kg High-Energy cells to 180 Ah storage models—supported by GW-scale production in China.

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21. hereweare May 21, 2026 at 1:04 pm

    Subpoena bill would curtail secretive tool used to target government critics Washington Post (archived)
    The effort, led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-New York), comes after The Washington Post investigated the Department of Homeland Security’s use of administrative subpoenas, which federal agencies can issue to collect Americans’ private personal information without an order from a judge or grand jury.
    The Subpoena Abuse Prevention Act, co-sponsored by three Democrats and three Republicans, calls for sweeping reform to how the government deploys administrative, grand jury and trial subpoenas to obtain communications records. It would force government officials, under penalty of perjury, to certify that they won’t use subpoenas to monitor or retaliate against people exercising their right to free speech or other constitutionally protected activities.
    …

    In addition, Wyden’s legislation would prohibit the government from using subpoenas to collect sensitive information in bulk (such as the names of every person who downloaded an app) and require the government to tell a subpoena’s recipient (often tech or phone companies) that, unless a court orders them not to, they can inform customers of whatever legal demand for data they receive.
    

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22. AG May 21, 2026 at 1:37 pm

    re: Scott Ritter on academia vs. expertise

    In the end of his conversation with Rick Sanchez Ritter made a short comment which I think is sadly true (whether or not he exaggerates) – others here have more experience than me to judge however:

    His daughter was attacked by her university when she assisted Ritter on a visit to meet Kadyrov because she wanted to study Russia seriously.

    Sanchez and Ritter speak about the lack of “expertise in the US” as such in this area. In contrast to Russian academics and political elites who truly are experts.

    In broader context I would expand – if you try to study culture and history of a nation, especially one that is oppossed to US empire, in a sincere and serious way – one that would make you a true “expert” – that will probably end or stall your career if it doesn´t concur with the interests of the system where you originate.

    Russia Will Strike One of Europe’s Top Decision Making Centers: Scott Ritter Interview

    on “expertise” beginning at TC 36:50
    Ritter particular comment TC 41:20 -42:20
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFhDq5HSt5s

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    1. jrkrideau May 21, 2026 at 2:41 pm

       Gilbert Doctorow reported spending some time as a “Fellow” or something similar at his old university a few years ago.

       He was shocked. First of all, he got the impression Russian studies students were “obliged” to hate Russia and, much to his horror, lectures were in English. In his day, lectures were in almost always in Russian. He was talking about advanced PH.D studies.

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       1. The Rev Kev May 21, 2026 at 7:17 pm

          I understand that it is the same with Chinese studies. That you are suppose to hate modern day China if you want to get on in your studies. Then, like those Russian studies students, after graduation they eventually become the experts that are consulted about those countries.

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    2. hk May 21, 2026 at 4:53 pm

       I mentioned this in a thread couple of days ago: it is extremely hard to be X and gain credibility with the US “elite mainstream.” The only way they’ll even hear you is if you preface everything by fitting into their preconception of what X should be, regardless of the truth. Some of the more “open minded” among them might go into a more interesting direction, but still firmly premaced on “what must be true.” The same logic no doubt applies to all things. (To paraphraze Steinbwck, via East of Eden, pidgin they expect and they’ll understand, but (proper) English they do not expect, so they won’t, or something like that.)

       Having said that, I don’t think “experts” outside the US have much if any better understanding of US than they do of the caricature inside their heads…but then, the same is true of many US “experts,” too, I guess, of their own country.

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23. ciroc May 21, 2026 at 1:48 pm

    >How Israel-Backed Sweida Became Syria’s Narcotics Capital

    These ties back to Assad’s regime and its notorious organized crime activity — which once earned it the title of the world’s biggest narco-state — explain why Syrian government raids and interceptions in recent months have revealed a connection to Lebanon, where remnants of Assad’s regime have found a safe haven alongside Hezbollah. For example, on Jan. 12, 2026, Syria’s specialist counternarcotics force intercepted a large shipment of drugs arriving from neighboring Lebanon, which contained not just 650,000 Captagon pills and some 230 pounds of hashish, but 226 brand-new, unwrapped heavy-lift balloons.

    This marked the first time that the original source of these balloons had been revealed and served to underline the central role that Lebanon appears to play in the persistence of the drug trafficking challenge in Syria. In fact, in the past six months alone, Syrian authorities have seized nearly 33 million Captagon pills newly arrived from Lebanon. Strikingly, this accounts for 77% of all Captagon seizures by Syria’s government throughout the country over the same time frame, according to Syria Weekly data.

    Will the Zionists declare their attacks and invasions of Lebanon a “war on narco-terrorism” in keeping with the latest trend?

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    1. pjay May 21, 2026 at 4:47 pm

       Yes. Some hints on the purpose of this piece is its labeling the Assad regime “the world’s biggest narco-state,” with its drug-dealing remnants now shacking up with Hezbollah, while the current Syrian government is portrayed as the poor victimized Good Guys who are merely trying desperately to deal with this dastardly menace. As you suggest, they may need help!

       The New Lines Institute which publishes this magazine is yet another one of the countless “think tanks” founded by a Westernized child of Westernized Middle Eastern parents (Iraqi, I think) who was able to trade on his origins to claim “expertise” which, amazingly, seemed to correspond completely with US propaganda. The “Institute” was known especially for its propaganda on the Uyghur “genocide” by China, and for its contribution to the demonization of Assad in order to heap more sanctions on Syria. Thank goodness the Good Guys rule there now, though apparently Assad’s narco-terrorists are still a danger. Here is a brief Wikipedia description:

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Lines_Institute

       The author of the piece is Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute, yet one more Washington “think tank” that provides “expert” cover for US policy. The MEI receives much funding from the Gulf states and oil interests, which I’m sure has nothing to do with Lister’s “expert” views on Syria over the years. After all, Lister worked with the Atlantic Council to “help resolve the Syrian conflict.” I’m sure they would want their experts to be objective and unbiased. In addition,

       “Before joining MEI, he was a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution in Doha and a senior consultant to the multinationally backed Syria Track II Dialogue Initiative, where he led years of direct engagement with the leadership of more than 100 Syrian armed opposition groups.”

       So some of his buddies are probably in positions of power now. No wonder the Syrian government is portrayed as the Good Guys here.

       Some bio on Lister:

       https://mei.edu/person/charles-lister/

       These parasites are so disgusting, and there are so many of them.

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       1. hk May 21, 2026 at 5:30 pm

          In other words, Lister is an international terrorist and a criminal kingpin.

          Reply ↓
24. hk May 21, 2026 at 5:28 pm

    UvdL sez “our Baltic states.” What’s next, installation of Hohenzollern King Mindaugas III of Lithuania?

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25. AG May 21, 2026 at 6:39 pm

    re: Petrodollar

    RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT

    
    Is the petrodollar a war casualty or death greatly exaggerated?
    Washington has a choice between managing what is a shift away from US backed currency, or accelerating it.
    by Michael Corbin
    May 21, 2026
    https://responsiblestatecraft.org/petrodollar-death-exaggerated/

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26. Jason Boxman May 21, 2026 at 10:35 pm

    Health Experts ‘Stunned’ by Trump Officials’ Strict Quarantine Measures (NY Times)

    Said experts ought to resign immediately and find some other profession, rather than put the public at risk.

    Someone with common sense prevailed, I guess.

    Federal health officials said when the 18 American passengers arrived in Nebraska that they would need to be screened and monitored for several days, but suggested they could leave soon if they were not showing signs of infection. Dr. Bhattacharya said in interviews that the passengers would be handed off to state officials within a day or two.

    That plan seemed to change abruptly. Two of the Americans who were planning to leave, including Angela Perryman, 47, received orders requiring them to stay in federal quarantine for at least two more weeks. Health officials told her they would contact law enforcement if she tried to depart before then, she said.

    “We were told that if we exercised our right to leave, then we would be detained against our will,” said Ms. Perryman, who remains in the facility and is threatening legal action.

    But the stupid is strong; This woman has never heard of PPE

    The new guidance also tightens monitoring, recommending in-person check-ins by local health agencies twice a day.

    “You’re actually putting health workers at risk by making them go in person to somebody’s home that has a potential infection,” said Dr. Debra Houry, who had served as the C.D.C.’s chief medical officer before she resigned in August in protest of the Trump administration’s actions. “It’s better to do the video monitoring.”

    She was at — CDC — but of course she was.

    She’s not the only moron

    Trump administration officials, confronted by overlapping outbreaks of Ebola and the hantavirus, have taken a more aggressive approach to locking down potentially exposed people than in past outbreaks, surprising many public health experts.

    The instructions from President Trump’s top health appointees, some of whom were vocal opponents of Covid-era public health restrictions, go well beyond tactics that were used to successfully contain previous outbreaks of the diseases.

    They include instructing more than a dozen people to remain in home confinement with twice-daily checks; quarantining 18 passengers from a hantavirus-infected cruise ship at a federal facility in Nebraska for 21 days; and keeping American doctors exposed to Ebola at foreign hospitals, rather than repatriating them to specially designed U.S. treatment centers.

    “I am utterly stunned by that,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the pandemic center at Brown University’s School of Public Health.

    Public Health, the defender of individual freedoms over the public good. But of course.

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